Carson opened the scoring in the fourth minute with Burns doubling the lead in the 52nd minute.

Ward hammered home the third in the 72nd minute with Burns claiming his second and Linfield’s fourth with 10 minutes remaining.

Glenavon had defender Rhys Marshall sent off after he was shown a straight red card for a rash tackle on Chris Casement in the 63rd minute – compounding a poor day at the office for Gary Hamilton’s men.

It took Linfield less than four minutes to break the deadlock.

Casement was industrious down the right flank, and when he crossed into the middle there was Carson to finish off from close range.

The second goal arrived in the 52nd minute and it was far too easy for the Blues.

Carson was the provider, sending in a teasing corner that Glenavon failed to pick up, and Burns did the rest with a low drilled finish at the back post.

Glenavon’s plight deepened in the 63rd minute when Marshall was shown a straight red card by referee Arnold Hunter for a late tackle on Casement.

Burns then had a deflected shot cannon off the crossbar before Ward added the third in the 72nd minute..

Ward was afforded too much space in midfield, and from 22 yards the midfielder fired a left-foot shot past Tuffey.

It was 4-0 in the 80th minute with Burns grabbing his second of the afternoon.

Ward fed substitute Ross Gaynor on the left, and Gaynor delivered a pin-perfect cross that Burns headed home with aplomb from five yards.

Burns was denied his hat-trick in the 87th minute when his diving header cannoned off the post, but it had little bearing on the end result.